Category Archives: real life

My Wish was Granted

Posted on April 5, 2019 by Pat Bowne

Remember my kvetching that we needed to hear something about the adjunctivization crisis from those conveniently silent PhD supervisors? Well, here’s one speaking up. I thought Michael Johnson Jr. had just written another of those pieces on how we all-powerful … Continue reading →

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Nobody’s Ally

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Pat Bowne

I’m nobody’s ally. Colleagues have stickers on their doors proclaiming that they are allies of this and that, but all I post is a sign-up calendar and (in winter) a notice proclaiming it to be the coldest office on campus. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in academic happenings, life around campus, real life, Uncategorized | Comments Off

A Monster Calls (if only!)

Posted on March 17, 2019 by Pat Bowne

My book club read A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. I understand that this book has been made into a movie. Pro tip: if you want me to remain totally ignorant about something, just make it into a movie. Anyway, I … Continue reading →

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Font Styles for Metallic Text in Word

Posted on March 2, 2019 by Pat Bowne

Once upon a time, Microsoft Word was one of the best graphic programs out there IMO. I speak as a non-power user, who got Word free at my job. Anyway, I could do everything I wanted/was able to do on … Continue reading →

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It’s Just Too Hard to Learn, I Guess

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Pat Bowne

I have the nicest, most analytic and open-minded set of online friends possible, but there is one topic on which I can always start an argument with someone. All I have to do is post something against demonizing groups of … Continue reading →

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It Comes Down to Stovewood

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Pat Bowne

Young leftists. On the one hand they’re in the news too often as intolerant, illiberal, and not valuing free speech. Some of them get minimum-wage cafeteria workers discharged when their ethnic food comes from the wrong class, make jokes about burning political opponents alive, … Continue reading →

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Is Not Being Persuaded a Survival Strategy?

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Pat Bowne

I’m reading this book about how people change their minds, written by an activist and apparently for activists. I just finished the chapter outlining all the ways people refuse to change their behavior even though they *claim* to be swayed by … Continue reading →

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The Secret Life of Flies by Erica McAlister

Posted on December 24, 2017 by Pat Bowne

Before there were robotics nerds or computer nerds or science-fiction nerds there were natural history nerds, and this book is for them. It’s that modern rarity, a popular science book that might have been written in 1940; the most advanced … Continue reading →

Posted in From the museum, reading, real life | Comments Off

Biology Leads the Way in Graduate School Transparency

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Pat Bowne

I could not be prouder of my discipline than I am today, after reading about the movement for transparency in graduate school outcomes. Anybody who cares enough to read my blog will know that I’ve gotten so desperate about the … Continue reading →

Posted in academic happenings, in the news, real life | Comments Off

Why I am not Burned Out on Writing

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Pat Bowne

Kristine Kathryn Rusch has had a few writing posts about burnout lately. This one came at an odd time for me, because I have just had an ‘aha’ moment with the WIP which reminded me why I’m not burned out … Continue reading →